Kearney 38, Park Hill 17

Kearney has shown early why it’s the defending Missouri Class 4 state champions, and poised for another run at the title again.

The Bulldogs ran away from Park Hill, 38-17, on Friday night in Kearney. Senior Grant Noland and sophomore quarterback Carter Temple each accounted for two touchdowns as Kearney, ranked No. 1 in 810 Varsity’s Missouri Class 4 state rankings, improved to 4-0.

Kearney scuffled early on a goalline attempt with three tries from the Park Hill 1 before KHS’ version of the tush push finally resulted in a Noland 1-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead with 9:54 in the second quarter. From there, Kearney started piling up the points including a Temple to Noland touchdown strike with :06 left in the half for a 17-3 lead at intermission.

Junior Corbin Emmons joined the scoring party with a 45-yard touchdown scamper to open the third period for a 24-3 cushion.

Park Hill (2-2) countered with the first of two touchdown passes to Dante Dixon, the first for 28 yards. But Kearney answered with a 22-yard twisting, turning touchdown run by Temple for a 31-10 lead with 7:37 left.

Dixon scored on an 80-yard touchdown reception on the ensuing possession, but Kearney iced the game with a Tristan Williams score.

Kearney will host North Kansas City (3-1) next Friday night, while Park Hill takes on rival Park Hill South.

Rockhurst 38, Lee’s Summit West 17

Rockhurst stayed undefeated on Friday night, but Lee’s Summit West made the Hawklets sweat for a minute.

The Hawklets, ranked No. 2 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, coasted to a 38-17 win on Friday night over the Titans at Dasta Stadium. Rockhurst held a 24-7 halftime lead, but the Titans trimmed the margin after a Jonathan Panto interception to open the third led to a field goal. Then West’s Alexander Duncan capped off a 5-play, 65-yard drive with a 55-yard dash for the endzone to cut the lead to 24-17 with 2:20 left in the third.

The fourth quarter belonged to Rockhurst though. After Rockhurst’s Van Pham – who scored a 10-yard touchdown run in the first half - sustained an injury earlier in the third quarter, Pierce Fisher and Cash Lewandoski picked up for Pham, with rushing plays to set up a Blake Thomas a 7-yard jet sweep to highlight an 8-play, 75-yard drive to go up, 31-17, with 7:16 remaining. Quarterback Charlie Loose ran in a touchdown for an insurance score after a 6-play, 35-yard drive with 2:39 left to cap the scoring.

The Hawklets will face Bishop Miege (0-3) next Friday, while the Titans face Lee’s Summit (3-1).

Smithville 18, Oak Park 10

An early scoring barrage helped Smithville pick up an 18-10 win over Oak Park in a Top 25 showdown on Friday in Smithville. 

Smithville, ranked No. 17 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, capitalized off turnovers to score the first 18 points and then held off the No. 19 Northmen.

The Warriors opened the scoring on junior running back Austin Clevenger’s fourth-and-goal with 11:24 in the half. A key 18-yard pass on fourth-and-5 from quarterback Peyton Steffen to Bodie Ballenger kept the scoring drive going.

Oak Park fumbled on its next possession and Smithville’s Jake Kruse recovered at the 14-yard line. The Warriors turned that into points as well, when Aiden Verhulst booted a 33-yard field goal at the 9:17 mark for an 11-0 lead, the margin at half

Oak Park (2-2) sustained similar fates on its next two drives, stopped on a fourth-and-2, and then a fumble recovered by Roman Roske on its next possession. Steffen scored on a 35-yard run for an 18-0 lead with 8:04 left in the third.

The Northmen mounted a comeback after Donovan Ross ran back the ensuing kickoff for an 18-7 margin. A field goal on the following drive brough Oak Park to 18-10. Oak Park got the ball with 3:24 left in the fourth with a chance to tie, but gained only seven yards and threw three incomplete passes.

Smithville will travel to Excelsior Springs next Friday night, while Oak Park entertains Fort Osage.

St. Pius X 61, Maryville 0

St. Pius X put up another big number on Friday night, beating Maryville 61-0 at home. 

In its last three games, the Warriors have scored 57, 59 and 61, while allowing just 15 points combined in those wins. 

The Warriors got going with a rushing score from Larry Cascone, his first of three touchdowns in the first half, to take a 7-0 lead at 9:15 in the first.

A Pius interception set up Cascone’s second score before the Warriors added a field goal with two minutes left in the quarter to take a 17-0 lead. 

The Warriors picked off another Maryville pass late in the first and on the very next play, Hudson Bailey connected with Tommy Hustler for 54 yards to make it 24-0, after one period. 

With four minutes to play in the first half, Cascone found the end zone for the third time to extend the Warrior lead to 31-0. The Warriors capped the first half onslaught with a TD pass from Bailey to Noah McPhee and led 38-0 at halftime. 

The Warriors (3-1), ranked fourth in Missouri Class 5 in the latest 810 Varsity rankings, will host Chillicothe next week.